Who are the Oscar nominees for best actor in a leading role 2025: See full list

Hollywood’s biggest night is nearly here and one star will win the coveted Oscar for best actor.

The Academy Award for best actor in a leading role category has long awarded male performers from Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio to Gene Hackman, who won the award for his role of "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection." The actor, who was found dead in New Mexico on Wednesday, also won the best supporting actor Oscar in 1993 for his role of Sheriff "Little" Bill Daggett in "Unforgiven."

This year’s categories feature three first-time nominees for playing real people, from a prisoner wrongfully convicted of murder, a blues songwriting legend to the current president of the United States.

Also in the category is "The Brutalist" star Adrien Brody, 51, who is the only performer under 30 to win the best actor Oscar back in 2003 for “The Pianist.” Yet, his record may be broken if fellow nominee, “A Complete Unknown” star Timothée Chalamet, 29, wins this year.

Ralph Fiennes, 62, is also nominated for his performance in “Conclave.” He was last nominated in the same category in 1997 for “The English Patient” and in the supporting actor category in 1994 for “Schindler's List.”

Here’s who is nominated in the prestigious category this year.

Best actor Oscar nominees 2025

Adrien Brody, "The Brutalist"

Timothée Chalamet, "A Complete Unknown"

Colman Domingo, "Sing Sing"

Ralph Fiennes, "Conclave"

Sebastian Stan, "The Apprentice"

Who won the best actor Oscar last year?

Cillian Murphy won the Oscar for best actor for playing theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, also known as the "father of the atomic bomb," in the best picture winner "Oppenheimer." The Irish-born actor previously starred in "Inception," "Dunkirk" and "Batman Begins."

How to watch the Oscars

The 97th Academy Awards will air live Sunday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET/4 PT, on ABC.

How to stream the Oscars

You can also stream the awards ceremony live on ABC.com, the ABC app, Hulu, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.Watch 97th Academy Awards with Disney bundle.Watch 97th Academy Awards on Fubo

(This story was updated to make a clarification.)

Contributing: Amaris Encinas

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who are the Oscar nominees for best actor this year: See full list